A 61-year-old surfer in Hawaii is glad to be again within the water simply weeks after dropping a part of his proper leg in a shark assault.
According to a earlier press launch from County of Maui Police and Fire officers, Kenji Nonaka was bitten on the leg by a shark whereas browsing on the “Sand Piles” on Waiehu Beach Park on Friday, Nov. 1.
The assault left his proper leg “utterly severed slightly below the knee,” taking him away from his routine morning browsing classes that he had launched into for over 30 years, in accordance with a GoFundme launched to boost funds for his restoration.
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An replace shared on the marketing campaign on Nov. 7 stated that he had been launched from the hospital and was “tremendous motivated to start the rehab and restoration course of to get again into the ocean he loves.”
Two weeks later, Nonaska was reported as having had all his staples eliminated, doing “one-legged workouts,” and “making nice progress in his restoration.”
Since being created, the GoFundMe has raised over $107,000 — surpassing its preliminary objective of $100,000.
In an interview with KITV revealed on Monday, Jan. 6, Nonaka stated he’s “so comfortable” to say that he has been browsing 10 occasions throughout his ongoing restoration course of.
“Water is just not scared, simply make me comfortable,” Nonaka stated. “But generally I little bit fearful of the shark as a result of generally a giant fish jumps… however I nonetheless respect them.”
He returned to the water on Dec. 21, he informed KITV, including that he now surfs mendacity down and generally on his knees.
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As for when he’s going to be getting a prosthetic leg — one thing that was talked about within the final replace on the GoFundMe — Nonaska informed KITV that he and his spouse are headed to O’ahu to search for a one this week.
“So many individuals supported me and helped me,” Nonaska informed KITV. “I so comfortable, I simply admire them.”